Avox Games
by Hecatenna
Summary: This is after the Rebellion (Mockingjay) life may have gotten better for the Districts, but worse for the Avoxes, who are now treated like property. A underground movement called the Avox Games has appeared. Co-writing with Hazelwave. This story will be published by her as well. Enjoy!


**If you're confused you're not the only ones. I'm just going to post all of our chapters in the same chapter, and delete the others, because i have confused myself. I know, sad. Anyway, enjoy, fav, follow and review!**

THE AVOX GAMES

Anaya's POV

After the rebellion they promised to free us, they promised us! But like so many times like they did before, they lied to us. It might have been freedom for citizens of Panem, but I guess we weren't good enough to be considering citizens, just be 'cause we couldn't speak! Anyway, let me back up a bit and tell you it from the very beginning.

It all began with Katniss, but it's not going to end with her. She was the one who sparked the rebellion and voted for the Capitol children Hunger Games, so kudos to her for that. It got my Binder Joseph out of the way. But then she just disappeared, she got _retired_ some say, found a better life. It just spiraled out of control after that. Soon enough, the G.A.M.E.S. was born, an all Avox version of the games.

The G.A.M.E.S. was fronted by a charity called _Avox Enters! _to train us to be proper citizens. As if! Fey, my one time friend was chosen by _ae_, and like a complete and utter idiot he went. He never came back. The day after I got the news, I ran away, as far away from the capitol as I could get, wanting absolutely nothing to do with this organization ever again. Of course they still wanted something to do with me. So damn the G.A.M.E.S.

Well, I'm getting ahead of myself; so let me go back a bit. My name is Anaya, the used-to-be daughter of Eva and Harlen. Up until I was three, I was a proud citizen of District 7. Then it all fell apart when my parents completed some _unspeakable _crime against the Capitol. They were promptly executed, but since I was only three they decided to take mercy on my and only cut off my tongue and send me to kids "camp" until I was bonded to a family. How lucky was I?

Anyway, the family turned out to be President Snow's second cousin and his children. They were about the biggest idiots I've ever known (and I've known quite a lot) and they beat me like a drum. Even though I was only 7, I knew quite lot of things and what it was like to see your family die in front of your own eyes. When I was 8 I met Fey and my life took a turn for the better.

He was the daughter's Avox and he was the one who could always find a bright spot in the darkest of days. He was always there for me and at a point, I was, well, in love. And then he had to go and leave me, not leaving on lock of sandy hair behind. Fey, the only person I've ever trusted, ever loved, the only one who understood.

Once Fey left and my Binder was gone, I had no real reason to stay here. Fey had taught me some tricks he had learned when he was being hunted. He taught me to throw darts (Eventually, I could even beat him), how to makes poisons, and how to talk in only the way that we know. It's a complicated kind-of sign language. He gave me the talents I needed to survive, that I needed to be able to leave everything behind and just run. So I did.

I was on the run for a good year before I found a family. When they found me I was nine, my arm bloodied, and broken (Blame it on a novice hunter). They took me in and trained me in fighting, and once I beat the second best fighter there a boy named Ameo, they gave me my first SpeakAgain, and as I moved up the line I kept exchanging the old ones for newer better models. I got my last (a bright green, like my eyes, signifying my alliance with the Rebels) just over a year ago.

The Rebels are the greatest family I've ever known, if not the most agreeable one. We take turns hunting, and finally it's my turn again. Usually, we let Mila do they hunting, as her arrows shoot down things a lot quicker than my darts and knives ever do. I had to beg for this, because though I can shoot a sparrow out of the sky, sparrows usually don't have much meat if you know what I mean.

I bound silently through the woods, my pack of darts hooked around my waist. Did I mention that they're poisonous darts? I shoot down a squirrel, and tuck it into my pack. I'm so far out that I can't see camp anymore. I heard the crunch of leaves and freeze, but I'm too late. Someone grabs my darts, flinging them into the woods. I whip around and punch him in the face. He screams as blood gushes out of his noses, and I punch him again.

Suddenly, someone throws a net over me, and I wriggle around trying to reach my knife, only to find I dropped it in the woods. I spit at him and curse, which is actually hard to do without a tongue, by the way, but I manage. He kicks me, and I try to kick him back only to become more entangled in the net. Someone shoots me with a dart, sadly which is my own (thankfully not poisoned, but a tranquilizer) and as everything goes dark, I only pray they don't find the other pack of tranq darts hidden in my pants.

**oOoOoOo**

When I wake up I'm in grimy, dimly lit cell and wearing a tattered green tunic and pants, which smells like a thousand people have worn it before me. I'm judging that they found my other tranq darts. Before I have time to get settled, a seriously ugly man with a fat face walks up to my cell and types in the code for the door. "We've got a feisty one here, don't we?" He said, pinching my face in his hands. "We've got problem here, don't we?" The Man slapped my face. "Don't ya talk to that unless ya wanna lose a limb before da games. We always love getting da fresh meat." Against my better judgment, but not wanting to lose a limb, I followed the Handler to who knows where.

Apparently, who knows where is a "visit" to the Head trainers office. I mock bow, in front of the woman. "Your wish is my command, your Excellency, what ever you need I will do." She doesn't look fazed in the least, but instead very happy. I notice that as the handler brings his clubs down on my head. I cradle my head in my hands. Believe it or not I do have nerves. "What I need is a final tribute to the Avox Games. Jouhaux here has already bet on the outcome." She proudly points at the Handler, and he gives me a malevolent smile.

After my little trip of fun, I get dropped off at a tiled room, squeaky clean. There's a girl here standing her in awe at all the pretty tiles. She has black (or really dark brown hair) and she's tan. I turn my attention past her and at the showers, wondering if I should just storm past her and grab the shower. 2 of us and they only gave us one shower. You'd think that they could afford better.

Why would they drop us off here? Then it clicks, they're just trying to get us past the guards, and onto the train to the G.A.M.E.S. arena. "You know, you should probably stop gaping," I say to the girl looking at the showers. She spins around as I finish. "This is so the Handlers can smuggle us in as citizens. We only get an hour in here, and we have to get cleaned up. In your case that may take a while." The girl is now gaping at me. I don't know what she's doing, I mean, who was she expecting - the President?

The girl signs some snobby remark about showers then hops in and bars the door. I can hear the bench knock up against the glass. I count the minutes and after about 25 she walks out. I jump at her and she barely even flinches. Well, at least she's not scared easily. If she was, little miss prissy wouldn't last ten seconds in the games.

My turn in the shower takes only 15 minutes, and I take it upon myself to press all the buttons. I find a jet function, but quickly turn that off, when freezing water pumps through it. I wince, then press more buttons trying it turn it off. Finally I succeed and let the water poor down on me. Sadly I set some timer thing, so after only 15 minutes an alarm that sounds like a foghorn blows right in my ear. I almost jump out of the shower, landing by a closet, towel around me.

I shakily stand up, and open the door of the closet to find lots of clothes. I pick out something simple, black cargo pants, a dark purple top and a black jacket. I take a brush that the girl was using and shove it into my matted clump of hair. It doesn't matter how many things I use to try to untangle it, it just won't. I feel a prickle on the back of my neck, and say without thinking "I wouldn't do that if I were you." I say as nicely as possible, aka not very nice at all.

I swivel around my chair, trying to look as though I don't care. "My name's Anaya. I don't thin we'll ever be friends, so you stay out of my life, and I'll stay out of yours." The girl looks very surprised, like she can't tell where the voice – my voice is coming from. "It's a SpeakAgain, you idiot." The girl stares down at her feet, then looks up. "I _know _what a SpeakAgain is you imbecile." I start to mutter about French and her amazing vocabulary, when the door burst open. And all I see is Fey.

If my life were a movie with a happy ending, I'd be running toward Fey in slow motion, my arms outstretched, a big smile on my face as he caught me in his and twirled me around. Instead I just stood there like an idiot, paralyzed by him. But Fey's eyes were strangely cold, not full of warmth and laughter, like they'd always been. What had changed him? I was jerked back to reality by a scream from the girl, and looked to see just in time to see a collar around her neck, and down on her knees, Fey above her, whip readied and his eyes cold.

Then I can't think. Time slows down as the whip goes down and I can't bear to think that Fey, my Fey would do this. "MONSTER!" I remember screaming, as I knocked into him pummeling him with my fists and legs, over and over. Where was the real Fey? The girl looked stunned but quickly got up and grabbed the whip from Fey and slashed at the Handler. She had quite a bout to pick with him, and I with Fey. Someone shot me, like they'd done in the forest. The last thing I saw as everything faded was the fear in Fey's eyes and a glimmer of humanity. It was all I needed.

**oOoOoOoOo**

I feel like I'm in Heaven. I'm floating on air, covered with blankets and pillows. Someone said this is called comfort. The only other time I've felt like this is when I was just a baby, safe and uncaring. Ironic, isn't it. Soon after comfort, my parents went to their deaths and now I'm going off to mine. I will on think about it. Enjoy the sofa Anaya and worry about that later. Too Late. A bolt of pain shoots through me, and there goes comfort, right out the window. I examine myself and my gaze falls to my leg. It's been shot.

There goes my escape plan. I look around some more, and notice the tracking bracelet on my right wrist. Let's see, if I could find a suitable weapon, would I be willing to stab my wrist to get the bracelet off. Answer: No. All the exits are guarded heavily (and it's not like I could jump off the train with a shot leg). I spot that girl in a cage by the back and I spot her staring at me. "Hopeless" She signs. "So, how about small talk?" I sign back. "Whatever."

"So what's your name?" I say, but my speech comes out garbled through the SpeakAgain. She gets my message though, and signs "Maia." "Hey we're trying to have a conversation. No one word answers. Have you been here for long? How did you get here in the first place?" Maia looks confused and I sigh. Fey warned me this would happen.

Maia signs again. "I been for 3 years, maybe more, I don't have time. It began with a boy, and I'm stupid." I cock my head at her. Somehow I don't think that's what she meant. "What did you mean?" I sign and she gets the message. She looks quite annoyed. "How about what Miss everything?" I start to talk through the SpeakAgain. "Okay, you're not sounding right. I'll teach you my version and you teach me yours okay?" She nods.

We begin and just as we're getting somewhere, Fey is lead in by a doctor. He nods at me, then the doctor and the doctor picks me up and carries me out of the room. 2 minutes later I'm in a white room with my leg stretched out, and a mask around my face. I fall asleep while they take out the bullet.

**oOoOoOo **

I wake up with a crack. Maia is slapping my face. I bat her hands away and sit up. My leg feels great, and I guess I have the medicine to thank for that. But when I sit up, the bullets gone and my leg looks fine. "Whoa." I sign. I notice we're not in a cage, but on my couch. A girl walks in and announces lunch. "What would you like, oh wait you can't talk can you." I glare at her and turn on my SpeakAgain, and just as she exits the car, I speak. "I want pasta, and Maia her would like – " She signs to me "Navy Bean Soup." I make a gagging face, then tell the girl "Navy bean Soup." The girl looks stunned then walks out the car. What, has she never seen a SpeakAgain before?

We walk to lunch. Everything in the dining car is lavish and over decorated. I sit down at my place marked Avox 1 and stare daggers at the girl. She smiles meanly back at me. Maia sits down next to me and turns to glare with me. Then she turns back to me and signs "How's your precious Fey?" I pick up her knife and calmly throw it at her.

She dodges and I retrieve it as she grabs a walking staff and lunges at me. I duck, spin, and grab my own, then stab at her. She parries and I throw my knife again. This time she didn't doge in time and it nick her ear. She gets up and jabs the staff at me. It connects with my back and yelp. I spin again and jab at her, barely connecting with her head, but leaving a little bruise. It goes on, like this until I break a plate. The serving girl hears it and walks in. The fight gets worse, until the Handler comes in and separates us, but we push him aside. We can't beat each other, and after many blows we finally collapse, exhausted. The Handler looks on with a grin and he drags us away.

We get put in a locked room with a couch, and no weapons, silverware or otherwise. We sit there for a good while, until she breaks the ice and smiles at me. I smile hesitantly back. "I didn't mean to insult you." Maia signs. I get the message. "I meant to say nothing about Fey, I was insulting the serving girl." She signs again, and I can understand it, but just barely. "You're a good fighter, I'll give you that." I sign. I finger my collar, which is tied to the sofa, just like Maia's. "So, can you teach me, your way?" I sign sheepishly. "I'll teach you mine." I add. "Deal." She replies

"Friends." Maia signs. "Friends." I sign back in my version. "Freedom." I sign to her. "Freedom she signs back. I'd like to say it take no time at all, and we learn it quickly, but signing and learning it takes so long. I don't even notice it when the serving girl comes in and drops off some food. It takes the rest of the train ride (8 hours – minus sleeping) and my legs are sore when we arrive at the place where I'm going to die. "Dear god." I sign.

What I keep to myself is that every instinct in my body is screaming to get away, run away from this godforsaken underground place that smells like death. But there's nowhere to go, it being deep underground with stupid artificial lighting and fake cloudless skies. Each hologram is worse than the last, making me miss aboveground by each passing minute.

Everything looks old and dusty. Training center? Ha! It's more like a dump. There aren't even any darts. The Head Trainer begins to speak, telling us that we have to "prove ourselves" to go up to level 2 with halfway decent weapons. All I can say is it better have darts. I start to focus though when he tells us that our level will decide how well we're treated. Crap. So much for my "look weak and harmless plan."

I sulk for a minute, until I get a new collar, that says 'Property of the G.A.M.E.S. Yes, I know that I'm an Avox in the Hunger Games, do you have to rub it in? I glance at Maia, who looks shaky. But I can't dwell on that for long. Jouhaux leads me to the pit (aka the training center) and I scoff at all the Avoxes who are showing off. I had to the Knives, to find Maia is already there. I grab a knife and aim it at the target.

I hit it again and again, until an Avox walks up to me and signs, "Hey, pretty girl, I hope we win." I resist the urge to throw it at the pervert, and instead aim it at the target once more, almost smashing through the back. I leave the knives, and do a face count to spot Maia. She's at the weights and I head over. I hate weightlifting, and judging by the expression on her face she couldn't agree more.

Maia's face turns toward the scoreboard and her expression drops down lower. She nears the bottom, and I'm in the middle. I sign a nasty curse. The boy at the top is the pervert. Sadly, I will not get to use the darts today. I stare at the scoreboard until Fey pops up behind me and drags me to my room. It's concrete with nothing except 2 blankets and uniforms. "We just couldn't keep you apart." The Handler whispers nastily in my ear.

He shoves the jumpsuit into my arms. It's bright orange, a color that I despise, and has the games logo on it (the ever so creative Property of the G.A.M.E.S.). "Change." The Handler orders and I punch him in the face. He brings the whip down on my back and I scream. After a long battle (that I badly lose), I change.

Fey comes back with mush-gruel. I walk up to him and sign "Why?" "Can't tell you now." he signs and points at the Handler and Maia. The Handler grunts and leaves. Maia signs to us that she won't listen and promptly starts snoring. I poke her and she signs "you lovebirds are so cute." I glare at her. She finally goes to sleep and I poke her to make sure she is.

I start to sign to Fey. "Why'd you leave, Why are you still here? Why me?" In the way he taught only me, the way I didn't share with anyone. Then Fey speaks, for real. He has a tongue. "I didn't have a choice at first. I was an Avox and they took me away. I was able to get of the arena, and I got one wish. I chose speaking for myself, instead of freedom. I wish I'd chose the other. But I'd seen what happened to the "free" Avoxes. They'd go out to the world, but after I while I'd see the same faces over and over. There was nothing to prove that they'd been free, so the cycle kept repeating. I knew this so I chose tongue over freedom.

'Anaya, I'm so sorry, I didn't want it to happen like this. I wanted you to come here. We belong together, and you can escape." He looked down at his feet. I sign, "You were the one behind this? You will be the cause of all our deaths?!" "No, Anaya, please calm down, it's not what you think." "No, Fey, you listen to me. It's exactly what I think. You sold me out. And what's this about escaping?" Just when you thought you knew someone they have to go and wreck everything!

Fey talks again. "Let me explain, and please Anaya, just once, listen." He grabs my hands in his and I jerk away, and onto the sleeping Maia. She sits up and yawns, but her eyes look wake and alert. "Were you eavesdropping?" I sign. She makes a face. Fey speaks, his voice deep and grave. "Let her hear, it's not going to make a difference.

What Fey tells us changes everything. He starts and tell us to hold our questions. "The Avox Games don't have a winner. You either escape, or die. There are 3 ways to get out. One way, you go tumbling down a chute and into a net. In the second you complete the labyrinth, that's there every year, and are lifted out. The last and final one is the hardest find. All around the arena, there are plates that will blow you up. One plate will shoot you into the sky and out of the arena. The plate is by the – " "Hawkins, you're not allowed to be here. What are you doing." The Head Trainer says and drags Fey away, the last word still hanging in the air.

Maia's POV

I stand tense, waiting for the inevitable blow. After the rebels overthrew the Captiol we Avox's expected freedom. And oh, the freedom we received. Some of us even regained the power to speak. But the less interesting Avox's, the less ones that weren't so nice, the ones that weren't so pretty… well, we got left behind. An organization called _Avox Enters! _was designed to 'educate' us so we could be normal citizens. Of course the charity is just a front for G.A.M.E.S the underground Hunger Games for Avox's. Anyway, back to the depressing present. The Handler brings down his club on my back. I almost collapse from the blow. His face looms in front of my curled up body and he spits on my cheek

"Come on girlie. Just say 'No mister please' and I'll let you go. Maybe take those handcuffs of and get you some pretty clothes…" My lip curls in disgust. I heave myself up and try to gather saliva in my mouth. A lot of things are hard without a tongue, ya know. But somehow I muster enough spit and hit the man on his face. The man sneers and backhands me on the face. He spits out

"I would have submitted you for housepet after your training. But now? Now you're going into the games." I whimper and curl into a ball. Great. I've just filled out my death warrant.

Oh, I guess I should explain stuff a little more. You would think the Hunger Games would be gone by now. They are. Kind of. This time it's not the Capitol or District kids that get reaped. It's us. No one knows about the Games except for the Gamemakers and the few sickos that like to watch us. It all started with the Capitol Hunger Games. Some of the rich kids didn't want to die (duh) so they bribed the Gamemakers to look the other way and gave their Avox's the power to speak. Then the Avox's were put in the Hunger Games. They all died of course. The winner was a brat named Vi who was more vicious than anyone expected. Anyway, the point is some really twisted people got together to do the Hunger Games. But missing kids would be too weird… but no one cares about the Avox's.

We could go missing, hundreds of us and we wouldn't even make the front page news. I ended up in this mess because of a – wait for it, this is so cliché – boy. No, he was not my boyfriend. He was as it turns out, a lying son of a bi- but that's not relevant. Needless to say, I fell head over heels for this boy and he told me, no _promised _me that he could give me a device so I could speak again. If you think this boy wasn't an Avox well, you're right. No, he had to be someone so despicable I can't even say who he is. He was the Gamekeeper's son. And as soon as I thought I was unbelievably in love with him he betrayed me and here I am. Yay. As you may have guessed, I don't play well with others. I am so dead.

Just in case you feel bad for me and are all like 'didn't you ever have a family?' the answer is I never did. I was born into this life, because my mother was an Avox. They saw no reason to disrupt the cycle so they cut off my tongue and I worked for a family until the whole boy mess. Joy.

**oOoOoOoOo**

I wake up with a jerk. The grimy paw that was shaking my shoulder is not welcome. What is the boy doing in my cell? (Oh wait, excuse me, it's apparently a suite.) I look up and am greeted by the face of a Trainer. He nods gruffly in my direction and calls out to my Handler. He sneers at me and unclips my handcuffs that are attached to the floor (I am apparently 'dangerous') and hooks them to his belt. He then starts jogging down the hall. I'm jerked off my feet and I fall onto the ground. Apparently I don't get off the floor fast enough and my Handler shouts back to the Trainer

"This one's lazy. Them Avox's are complete idiots. They like dogs. Gotta train them. See that whip on your belt? Use it. This one will never be broken though. That's why she's goin ta the Games, right now." I shudder involuntarily. Right now I'm being dragged to my death. Great. I now wait for the blow, and don't bother getting up. Instead the boy kneels down and gently lifts me up. He seems different than the other guards, and for a second I can see a glimmer of humanity in in his eyes. Then the spark is gone and he punches me in the arm. I stagger up and resume me trot/drag to the Center. The Center (as well as the Games) are completely underground in some obscure godforsaken place. I'm currently in the Kennels, which is by the Capitol. I would bet my life that there would be very long trains ride involved to get to the final destination. My Handler drags me to a room that looks like a spa. He leaves with the Trainer and I look around. I seem to be in a plush room with a shower and a wardrobe, which is, upon closer inspection, full of clothes. I start to wonder why they would go to this trouble when a voice behind me says

"You know, you should probably stop gaping. This is so the Handlers can smuggle us in as citizens. We only have an hour in here and we have to get cleaned up. In your case that should probably take a while." I whip around, expecting to see a female Handler, or a bribed Avox behind me. Oh, wait. I'm skipping some important stuff. We Avox's can't talk. But we have devices that we type stuff in for, say, shopping for our Binder's, or taking dinner orders. I lost mine when I was taken here. But I have yet another trick up my sleeve. We can speak sign language. Well, not the kind those deaf citizens understand. We have our own special version.

Avox's that are bribed or genuinely like their Handlers are dressed better, have the speaking device and generally are… more… cheerful. So I'm expecting to see a well dressed, preppy Avox with device in the color of her households krew. Instead I'm treated to a girl that can't be much older than me. She has black hair and green eyes, and instead of a SpeakAgain in her Master's krew color she has an army green one, a rebels color. Instead of the preppy clothes of a happy Avox she has the same clothes that I do, tattered mint green tunics and pants. I think she would be pretty, but I can't tell because she's covered with a layer of grime. I snicker and sign

"Yeah right. You look just as bad as I do. Now that you've said that though, I call the shower first." She snarls and lunges at me. She really is desperate. But it's not fair. I've been here longer and it's my turn to get something nice. I recall my mother's blurred self defense lessons, combined with what I've seen the guard do and I… do… nothing. I step aside and let her charge past me. Then I sprint to the shower room and charge in. I bar the door with the bench included and step inside the shower. I don't think I've ever felt truly hot water. Lukewarm, yes but scalding hot water? Never. I never want to come out of this shower.

I emerge ten minutes later, and start to brush through my tangled hair, wincing. The other girl glares at me and sprints into the shower, leaving her SpeakAgain behind. Once my hair has been dealt with and is hanging past my stomach I start to think about clothing choices. I want something sturdy, but nothing in the color green. I am so sick of that color, the color of my uniform. Finally I settle on grey cargo pants with a navy blue top, and a sweatshirt. I add some military looking boots and force my hair into some sort of a bun. Then the bun collapses on itself and I admit defeat. I wrangle my hair into a braid and sit down. Now I have nothing to do. Well… not exactly nothing… the SpeakAgain is lying on the bench where the girl left it, tempting me. I sit next to it and punch the ON button. Silence. I frown, and shake the SpeakAgain. It's very light, lighter than I thought it would be, as if it doesn't have any batteries. The girl spoke and she didn't use a defective SpeakAgain. I turn towards the shower and see that the girl has not barricaded the door like I did. The shower is in a different compartment than the outer room so I'm pretty sure I won't run into her. I run over to the door and tug on the door handle. The door opens and I see the girl's clothes lying on the bench. I pad over and sift through her clothes, but I still can't see the SpeakAgain. All of a sudden the sound of the water stops. I replace the clothes and dart out of the room. I plop myself down on a chair and attempt a surprised look. Not working, because I just look like someone has punched me in the face. I rearrange my face and I now look like I just ate a lemon. Oh well. I never was any good at acting.

The girl comes out with her SpeakAgain and attempts to brush her unruly hair. She's epically failing in that task, and her hair looks like a matted clump. She appears to be focused on that so I try to go around her and take a look at the working SpeakAgain. She doesn't even look up from her brushing, just says lightly, with a hint of malice

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I freeze, and look at her again. She isn't looking at me, but she swivels her chair around and says

"My name's Anaya. I don't think we'll ever be friends, so how about a deal. You stay out of my life, and I stay out of yours." I can't even tell where the voice is coming from now. The girl is now trying to explain what SpeakAgain is. I roll my eyes, and sign

"I _know_ you imbecile." Suddenly the door is wrenched open, disrupting our friendly bonding. My Handler is there, with the new Trainer. My Handler is not just holding handcuffs, but a neck collar as well. I growl, and notice that Anaya doesn't have a collar. I'm about to sign something snarky when I notice she seems paralyzed. I'm so caught up in her obvious wonder that I don't notice the collar being snapped around my neck until it's too late. I immediately start to struggle, resisting my Handler. But instead of hitting me he nods to the new Trainer.

"Fey, you hit her with dat whip of yours, gonna calm her down. Or knock her out." But the Trainer seems to hesitate, the humanity shining through before his blank stare replaces it again. He unloops his whip and forces me down on my knees. The Trainer seems to flick his whip down, everything moving in slow motion before I realize that Anaya is running, no, sprinting into Fey. She hurtles into him, and knocks him down. She's screaming, shrieking

"MONSTER" hitting him, kicking him, everything she can do to hurt him. My mouth is hanging open, so I snap it shut and struggle to my feet. The whip is lying on the ground, so in a fit of idiocy I grab it and start whipping my Handler savagely, growling under my breath. Suddenly a backup squad of Handlers and Trainers rush in and shoot the Anaya. They look at me and tackle me to the ground, punching me in the jaw and stomach. Finally they get tired, and pick up Anaya's limp body. They jerk me up with my collar and I fade in and out of consciousness as I'm dragged to the train.

**oOoOoOoOo**

After my brush with the devil I wake up in a steel cage, my hands chained to the wall. It looks exactly like a cell but as I peek out the window I can see land moving. I guess I'm on the train. I sit down on the cot, and realize that I'm alone in the cage, and in the waiting area outside of it Anaya is resting on the couch. Wait a minute. Why is she resting on the couch? The Karma Gods really hate me today I guess. I suddenly realize why this is not like a normal cell. The front is open instead of bars, so Anaya can look at me suffering, but I can't go on the couch. Anaya also has a metal bracelet around her wrist. A tracking bracelet, I realize. Anyway, time to take inventory. My face feels bruised, and my ribs are sore, but other than that I'm okay.

Anaya seems to have woken up, and her face is grimacing in pain. She looks around the train, looking for an exit I guess. I snort. Good luck with that. This place is impenetrable. I can see security cameras and bars on every window. She seems to come to the same conclusion, and tries to start a conversation.

"Your name is what?" says. The SpeakAgain is messing with her words Eventually she switches it off and goes with old fashioned signing..

"Maia." She sighs and signs

"No word one answers. How you come here? How long you be at Kennels?"

I roll my eyes. She must have learned differently than I did but I can get the idea.

"I've been here for about a year or two. Maybe three, I don't know. I kind of lost track of time…" My ands drop for a minute and I gaze and my chains before continuing "I came here because of a boy. I know, stupid right? But I really thought he was diff – never mind, that's not the point."

Anaya seems strangely unmoved and actually looks like she's about to start laughing. I glare at her and attempt to cross my arms.

"How about you, Ms. I-Know-Everything?" Anaya turns the SpeakAgain on again and says

"Okay, you're not sounding right. I'll teach you my version and you'll teach me yours, okay?" I nod, and hope this means she won't kill me in my sleep.

After a hour or so it seems like we're really getting somewhere when Fey the Trainer comes in with a doctor. They take Anaya out of the room, probably to work on her leg. No I'm really bored, so I lie down and try to ignore the clanking of my handcuffs. The cracks in the ceiling actually look quite interesting… oh never mind. This sucks.

**oOoOoOoOo**

Anaya is carried back in after what seems to be a lifetime of staring blankly at the ceiling. The Trainer unlocks my chains and leaves. She's out cold, and I'm really bored, so I inch over to her and hit her on the face. Lightly. Okay, maybe not so lightly but it was an accident. Her leg looks great by the way. She starts hitting me, so I scramble back. She's surprised, and signs

"Wow." Suddenly a girl walks in and says

"Lunch. What would you like? Oh, wait. You can't talk can you?" She mock pouts, and attempts to look sympathetic. I shrug, so the girl turns to leave. Anaya glares at her and says

"I want pasta and – " She looks at me so I sign my order. Anaya continues "Navy bean soup." She rolls her eyes at my choice, but tells it to the girl anyway. The girl's mouth is in a perfect O. I smirk as she walks out. I shrug again, and follow the girl out the door, to the lunchroom. The room is pretty, with rare wood paneling. There are a few tables and the girl gestures to one. Anaya sits down at the seat marked Avox 1 and I sit down at the other, Avox 2. Anaya glares at the girl as she smirks before arranging her face into a mask. I laugh and sign

"Didn't she look precious today?" Anaya's face turns murderous and she picks up a knife and throws it at me. I barely dodge the blow. I guess I must have said the wrong thing. Anaya isn't going to stop there, so I grab a walking stick from one of the tables. Ah, the staff. My Master's family took staff lessons, and I took them as well, if only so everyone could laugh at me. I faked falling, but secretly I practiced. I know I'm good. I grit my teeth and lunge at her. She whirls away and stabs at me. I dodge again and this time Anaya throws the knife. It nicks my ear, and I grind my teeth. I've made it through worse but now she's really ticked me off. I grab the staff and jab the staff into her back. She yelps. Anaya stabs me and I don't doge in time. The hilt of the knife hits me on the head and I can feel a bruise staring. This fight continues on and on. Finally Anaya breaks a plate, and the serving girl walks in. She screams, and calls for the Handler. He breaks us apart, but we can't stop. My energy reserves are running low, and I collapse in an inelegant heap. The Handler grins evilly, and drags me away, snapping the collar on me, although I don't really see the point. He's already won.

We get tossed into a locked room with a couch and nothing else, no knives, wood, I mean even the couch is bolted to the ground. I sit on the floor stubbornly, refusing to smile until boredom overwhelms me. I smile shyly, and Anaya smiles back.

"I wasn't trying to insult you." I sign. She nods so I continue. "I didn't mean to insult Fey, just the serving girl." Anaya seems to understand this, and she nods. I finger my collar, the leather is chaffing into my skin. The collar is bolted to the sofa. It even has a tag on it that says 'Property of Handler Jouhaux.' Anaya notices my discomfort and tries to make me feel better.

"You're a good fighter, I'll give you that." She signs. I smile again. "Can you teach me your way? I'll teach you mine." I nod and sign back

"Deal." What should I teach her first? I wonder for a bit before pointing at us and signing

"Friends." Anaya nods, and signs her version. I try to copy her hands, and I almost get it. She's already moving on, of course.

"Freedom" She signs. I copy her version, and then show her mine. And so begins the most boring hour of my life. Sign. Understand. Copy. Repeat. The whole thing makes me want to fall asleep. The new thing is I now have a friend to share it with. The serving girl reappears after a while, carrying more food. We eat, and sign some more before I call it a day. I try to sleep with the collar for the remainder of the ride, about six hours. The door to the room blasts open after a while, and I jerk awake. The Trainer and Handler are there, and they drag us outside, into the woods. Anaya signs something to me, but I'm petrified. I'm going to die here, and there's nothing I can do to stop it.

**oOoOoOoOo**

The tunnel leads to a cavernous bowl, filled with dusty equipment and crappy weapons. The Head Trainer grins, and says slowly, like we're babies

"This is Level 1 of the Center. Prove yourself here and you can move up to Level 2, with better weapons. If that isn't enough motivation, your beds and food reflects your level." He nods at my Handler, and gestures for him to leave. Before he heads out the Center the Handler unclips my tag, and replaces it with one that says 'Property of G.A.M.E.S.' The words chill me to the bone, but before I can do anything else I'm being ushered down the stairs into the Pit. It looks like all the other Avox's are already there, working out and showing off their muscles. I'm about to head to the Staff section when I realize it features only walking sticks. I don't want to seem like a threat so I head to the Knives section. Anaya is already there, and clearly excelling at the throwing. I, on the other hand am failing. My knives don't even nick the targets. Even though in the Kennel we had 'recess' I'm still weak, so I leave the Knives section and head to the weights. I hate weightlifting. This is going to be a long day.

After weightlifting I check the giant scoreboard that ranks us all. I am near the bottom, and Anaya is in the middle. It's not enough though, and we won't make it to Level 2 today. I notice that the top Avoxs are some boys named Jonaa and Ledi. They look arrogant, and a little too sure of themselves. Good. I can work with that. After my little planning session Handlers flood the Pit, each one taking one or two Avoxs to their respective lodgings. A new Handler has been assigned to me and Fey the Trainer is getting Anaya. Her face remains impassive, but I can see her tension. The Handler and Fey attach a 'leash' to our collars and lead us to a bare concrete room with two blankets tossed on the floor. Two uniforms are tossed after us and we are given three minutes to change. I'm not sure that the new Handler is looking away, but I don't really have a choice so I change into my new neon orange jumpsuit with 'Property of G.A.M.E.S' written on the back. Really, the people that design these jumpsuits must be colorblind. Anaya hasn't changed yet, and she punches the Handler in the face. His face contorts into a mask of rage and he brings down the whip onto her back. She screams, and starts clawing him. After some yowling and whipping Anaya relents, and changes. We are then chained to the floor, and the Handler leaves. Fey leaves as well, but comes back with food. Actually, I don't think what he brought counts as food. I call it barf mush. Anaya staggers forward to him and signs

"Why?" Fey frowns, and signs

"Can't tell you now." He points at the Handler, and me, which I find offending. I'm veryyyy trustworthy. For some reason the Handler decides to leave and I'm left staring at an awkward situation. I lie on the ground and put the blanket over me, signing that my ears are closed. I then snicker a bit and sign behind her back

"You lovebirds are sooo cute." Anaya glares at me so I roll over and try to sleep. When Anaya isn't looking I crack an eye open. I'm not missing _anything_. She starts signing furiously, asking Fey why he is still here, and why he left in the first place. So Fey was an Avox. Interesting. Then he starts to speak. Yes, speak. I can tell it's not a SpeakAgain, his voice is so real. Oh crap. I'm missing out on the conversation. Fey finishes his sentence.

" -No choice at first. I was an Avox and they took me away. I was able to get out of the arena, and they gave me one wish. I chose speaking for myself, instead of freedom. I wish I'd chose the other. But I'd seen what happened to 'free' Avoxes. They'd go out to the world but after a while I'd see the same faces over and over. There was nothing to prove they'd been set free so the cycle was repeating. I knew this so I chose tongue over freedom. Anaya, I'm so sorry. I didn't want it to happen like this. I wanted you to come here. We belong together, and you can escape." I gasp quietly. Would Anaya really do that and leave me behind? I can hear her sighing, and signing something else that I can't understand. Fey says something more and they start to argue quietly, Anaya's hands moving quicker and quicker. Fey says something and Anaya jerks away, and falls on me. I sit up quicker than I should of. Oops. I attempt to make it look like I was dreaming, but it fails. Anaya frowns and signs

"Were you eavesdropping?" I grimace, and nod. Fey frowns, and says

"Let her hear." I nod and sit politely, which is pretty hard when you're collared to the ground. Then Fey starts speaking again

"The Avox Games don't have a winner. You either escape or die. There are three ways to get out. One way you go tumbling down a chute into a net. In the second you complete the labyrinth that's there every year, and get lifted out. The last an final one's hardest to find. All around the arena there are plates that will blow you up. One plate will shoot you in the sky, and out the arena. The plate is by the - " Fey is interrupted by the Head Trainer. He takes one look at the three of us, see's what we're doing and drags Fey away.

**You like?**


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